Drying-machine.



WTA/E'EEEfi T. P. DEXTER.

DRYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 2512.19, 1910.

9? l 1 7 7 Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

THOMAS P. DEXTER, PROVIDENCE,'RHODE ISLAND.

DRYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2'2, 191d.

Application filed February 19, 1910. Serial No. 544,765.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DEXTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drying-Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

In a co-pendin application for patent filed in the U. S. atent Oflice, I have illustrated and described certain new improvements in drying-machines of the type or class having a plurality of inter caring, revoluble, steam-heated, horizonta ly disposed drying-cans or cylinders, around the eripheries of which continuous lengths of cloth, paper or yarn in a wet or moist condition are carried from a source of supply at the front or wet end of the machine and longitudinally of it and delivered ina dry state at its other or rear end.

My present invention also relates to drying-machines, and it consists in providing the same with means devised and adapted to increase the efliciency and economical working of the machine, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a partial rear side elevation of the front or wet end of a drying-machine provided with the invention forming the subject of this ap lication for patent; Fig. 2 represents, in en arged scale, a side elevation transversely of the machine, partly in section, corresponding with line 2 2 of Fig. l; and Fig.-3is a similar view, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings are re resented a plu rality of intergearing, ho low cylindrical cans a, each having a journal or tubular central trunnion b secured to the respective heads of the can. These journals are revoluhly mounted in steam-tight, chambered beari s c,.supported by girder-like frames 03, T e front bearing is indicated by 1 and the rear one by 52. Power-may be transmitted from any suitable. driving means to rotate the intermeshing gears 9 secured to the rear journalsof the respective cans. All the cans (except, say the first one, 1, of the five cans represented) are adapted to be. heated as usual, that 1s, by steam flowing from a source of supply into a horizontal steam-main, or mains,';, from which latter short branch pi es f connect it with the respective front ho ow bearings 1".

The steam passes through the trunnions into the revolvln fabric-carrying cylinders a, the heat radiated through the walls acting at thefsame time to evaporate the moisture from the fabric. The steam '(water) condensed in the thus equipped cans flows through the rear journals and into the respective bearings 2, and from the latter via open-ended discharge pipes m leading into the valveless traps A. Each trap has a head m and bottom capped casing m constituting the trap-Well. An open pipe 72. connected with the head m and the horizontal exhaust-main it permits the said water to overflow from the well and into all as indicated-in F i 1 and 3. As thus devised and arran ed? the cylinders are practically indepen ent of one another in respect to the exhaust, owing to the interposed traps A. 'Moreover, little, if any,

the main,

means for separating such steam and vapor from the water, the latter then fiowin by gravity into the return-main 27. That s to say, assuming that thefirst can 1 is not connected with the steam-main f, but that the said exhaust-main it extends transversely across the machine via horizontal pipe h" and discharges into a front vertical tee or chambered fitting h, and from the latter via,

vertical pipe h into the cans front bearing 1, as represented in Fig. 2. The water passes downward from said fitting'and short pipe t into U bent piping arranged to form a water-seal 1", thence transversely and'horizontally via pipe t into the longitudmally extending return-main. t. The exhaust or water condensed in the cylinder 1 flows from the rear bearing 2 by gravity through the vertical pipe m communicating directly with the latter and the return-main. See

exhausted steam and vapor (which then ma have a pressure of several poundsper inch? as well as the waterof condensation d15- charged from all the cans (except the first,

. also Fig. 1. As thus devised, the volume of or can 1) enters the common exhaust-main h and flows forward into the said separatingchamber member It", at which point the heavier element, water, drops into the continuously filled seal 1' and flows therefrom via pipe t into the return-main t and into a hot-Qwell or reservoir, or even into the atmosphere, as desired. At the same time,

the said steam and vapor having, say a temperature of 225 to 230, and including also any reevaporation from water in the exhaust pipe, flows upward fromv the separating-chamber into can 1, located at the front end of themachine; the water of condensation produced in this can passes unobstructedly therefrom via its pipe at into the return-main. 1

By means of this invention a drying-ma chine, when provided with the same, 1s adapted to treat the wet material or fabric, in its passage around the cans, with greater eificiency and economy, because the thermal heat units in the steam and vapor exhausted from all the cans in drying-machines as heretofore devised and arranged, as well as any reevaporation from the volume of discharged water, have been lost or not utilized, whereas in a drying-machine embodying my present improvement the initial steam introduced into the cans is, by reason of the traps A connected with the respective cans, predeneed in the last-named can, thereby liberating the latent heat which is radiated outward through its wall and utilized for-evaporating moisture from the traveling fabric or goods w in contact with its surface. In

the practical operation of thus equipped drying-machines, it has been clearly demonstrated that the efiiciency of the can last referred to, which may be termed the exhaustcan. is equal to one of the other cans em.- 'ploying direct steam. Therefore the relative resulting economy in the weight ornumber of pounds of initial steam used is as one to'the total number of cans employed, as-.

suming the machine to employ, say twentyfive cans. What I claim as my invention is 1 1., In a dryin -machine of the character described, provi ed with revolubly mounted hollow heating cans or cylinders arranged for the admission of steam, the combinatlon.

therewith of a suitably disposed exhaustmain communicating with the-discharge end of the cylinders and adapted to receive from the latter exhaust steam or vapor .and water. of condensation, arevolubly mounted auxiliary heating-cylinder, arranged and adapted to cooperate with the other cylinders and being in communication with said exhaustmain for receiving therein said steam and vapor, as well as vapor reevaporated from the Water of condensation, and a returnmain located below the exhaust-main and being trap-connected with it and with the discharge end of the auxiliary cylinder, constructed and arranged for utilizing the drying-cylinder, means for introducing into the latter steam and .vapor exhausted from the other cylinders, and a return-main connected with said auxiliary cylinder for receiving the water of condensation produced therein. I

3. In a drying-machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of revoluble drying-cylinders, a main communicating with the cylinders for admitting live or initial steam therein, a main connected with and common to all the cylinders for receiving steam, vapor and water exhausted therefrom, a revoluble auxiliary heating cylinder having its inlet end communicating with said exhaust-main, so as to receive from the latter the said steam and vapor exhausted from the other cylinders, and a return-main communicating with the said exhaust-main and with the discharge end of the auxiliary cylinder for conducting away the water of condensation from all the cylinders.

4.- In a drying-machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of revoluble drying-cylinders, a steam-main communicating with the inlet end of all the said cylinders, an-exhaust-main common to all the said cylinders, a trapped connection interposed between and uniting the discharge end of-each of said cylinders with the said exhaust-main, thereby preventing back-flow or exhaust intercommumcation between the cylinders, a revoluble auxiliary heating cylinder having its inlet end communicating with the exhaust-main so as to receive therein steam and vapor discharged from the other cylinders, and areturn-main trap-connected with said exhaust-main and also con'nectedwith the discharge end of the auxiliary cylinder, arranged for conducting away the water of condensation from allthe cylinders.

5. In a machine of the character de scribed, having revolubly mounted dryingcylinders. or cans, means adapted for introducing steam into the same, and means connected with the discharge end of the cans for receiving steam, vapor, gases and water of condensation exhausted therefrom, the combination therewith of a revolubly mounted auxiliary heating cylinder disposed with relation to the others, means for introducing into the auxiliary cylinder steam and vapordischarged from the first-named cans,

10 and means connected with the exhaust end signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS r. DEXTER.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. REMINGTON, CALVIN H. BROWN. 

